Members of the Argentina Senate voted Wednesday against legislation that would legalize abortions on unborn babies up to 14 weeks of age and older in some circumstances. Senators voted 38-31 against the measure.

Approved by Congress’ lower house on June 14, the bill sent to the Senate would legalize abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy and force religious hospitals to do abortions. Although abortion campaigners hoped to springboard off their victory legalizing abortion in Ireland to export ending the lives of unborn children to South America they failed in their effort today.

Argentina prohibits unborn babies from being aborted except in cases of rape, severe disabilities or threats to the mother’s life.

About 300 hospitals and medical groups across the country announced their opposition to the legislation, in part, because of a lack of conscience protections. According to the report, private hospitals would not be allowed to opt out of aborting unborn babies under the bill.

During the protest, many doctors held signs with the message, “I’m a doctor, not a murderer.” Some said they would rather go to jail than kill unborn babies in abortions.

If the legislation is approved, Argentina will be the first nation to legalize abortion since a historic vote in Ireland to overturn its Eighth Amendment, which provided legal protections for unborn children. The homeland of Pope Francis would be one of the only nations in South America with legalized abortion on demand.